Global Handwashing Day: Promoting Hygiene, Health and Dignity Across Communities.

 

Global Handwashing Day: Promoting Hygiene, Health and Dignity Across Communities.

Clean Hands, Healthy Children, Brighter Future!

Global Hand-washing Day, observed every year on 15 October, highlights the importance of handwashing with soap as a simple, effective and affordable practice to prevent diseases and promote public health. The day reminds us that regular handwashing is not merely a personal habit but an essential step towards building healthier families, safer learning environments and resilient communities.

Niyatee Foundation observed Global Hand-washing Day across its operational areas, reaching approximately 11,500 children and 1,124 caregivers at 562 crèche centres across 13 blocks of Odisha, along with 60 trainees at its Pre-Recruitment Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and 60 students at its skill training centres. The observance focused on raising awareness about hand hygiene and encouraging the adoption of proper hand-washing practices in daily life.

At the crèche centres, children were introduced to the importance of washing their hands with soap, particularly before eating and after using the toilet. Through practical demonstrations, simple explanations and interactive activities, crèche workers helped young children understand how clean hands protect them from germs and reduce the risk of infections. Special emphasis was placed on handwashing before meals, after outdoor play and whenever hands become dirty. These practices are particularly important for young children, whose health and nutritional well-being depend on a clean and safe environment.

The observance also highlighted the role of crèche workers and caregivers in developing healthy habits from early childhood. By practicing and reinforcing proper hand-washing routines, they help children gradually adopt behaviours that can protect their health throughout life. Regular hand hygiene, combined with safe drinking water, clean surroundings and appropriate sanitation, contributes to creating a healthier environment for children's growth and development.

At the Pre-Recruitment Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities and various skill training centres, trainees participated in awareness activities emphasizing the importance of hand hygiene in personal care, shared living spaces, training facilities and future workplaces. The sessions encouraged participants to practice proper hand-washing and promote hygiene awareness among their peers, families and communities. Particular attention was given to ensuring that hygiene practices are accessible, practical and inclusive for persons with disabilities.

Global Hand-washing Day also provided an opportunity to reinforce the message that hygiene is a shared responsibility. Families, educational institutions, training centres and community organisations all have an important role in ensuring access to hand-washing facilities, soap and clean water. Awareness alone is not enough; sustained behavioural change requires the availability of essential hygiene resources and consistent practice.

Through these observances, Niyatee Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to promoting preventive healthcare, nutrition, sanitation and community well-being. By integrating hygiene awareness into its early childhood care, disability inclusion and skill development initiatives, the Foundation continues to encourage healthy habits among children, young people and vulnerable communities.

Let's make hand-washing a habit for a healthier tomorrow! Every small step towards better hygiene helps prevent illness, protect lives and build healthier communities. Together, we can nurture healthy children and create a brighter future for all.

 

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International Day of the Girl Child: Empowering Girls Today, Transforming Tomorrow

 

International Day of the Girl Child: Empowering Girls Today, Transforming Tomorrow

Every girl deserves the freedom to dream, the opportunity to learn and the confidence to shape her own future.

Observed every year on 11 October, the International Day of the Girl Child highlights the rights, aspirations and potential of girls while drawing attention to the challenges they continue to face. The day calls for collective action to build a society where every girl can grow up with dignity, safety, equal opportunities and the freedom to make informed choices about her future.

Despite progress in education and social development, many girls continue to experience discrimination, inadequate nutrition, limited access to healthcare, early marriage, safety concerns and unequal opportunities. These challenges are often more pronounced among girls from tribal, rural, economically disadvantaged and other marginalised communities.

Education is a fundamental foundation for empowerment. However, ensuring that girls enrol in school is only the beginning. Regular attendance, quality learning, digital access, menstrual hygiene, safe learning environments and opportunities for higher education and employment are equally important.

In many households, girls also shoulder a disproportionate share of domestic responsibilities and caregiving. When parents migrate for work or engage in daily-wage labour, older daughters may be expected to care for younger siblings, sometimes at the cost of their own education and childhood. Accessible community-based childcare can ease this burden, enabling girls to continue their education and pursue their aspirations.

A girl’s well-being must also encompass adequate nutrition, healthcare, emotional well-being and protection from violence and exploitation. Equally important is challenging social norms that restrict girls’ mobility, decision-making and participation in public life.

Marking the International Day of the Girl Child, Niyatee Foundation organised awareness meetings across its operational project areas, bringing communities and adolescent girls together to highlight the importance of girls’ rights, health, education and empowerment. As part of the observance, sanitary napkins were distributed free of cost to adolescent girls, reinforcing the importance of menstrual hygiene and access to essential menstrual health products.

The meetings provided an opportunity to promote awareness of menstrual health and hygiene, encourage healthy practices and address the stigma and hesitation often associated with menstruation. These efforts reflect the importance of ensuring that adolescent girls have access to essential hygiene products and the information needed to manage their menstrual health with dignity and confidence. Community-level awareness and practical support can help address barriers that affect girls’ participation in education and everyday activities.

Through its work in early childhood care and development, nutrition, education, skill development, livelihoods and community mobilisation, Niyatee Foundation contributes to creating an enabling environment for children, youth, women and marginalised communities. Its community-based childcare initiatives, including Ama Kalika Kendras, support the care and development of young children while helping working mothers manage their responsibilities. Such initiatives can also ease caregiving pressures on older siblings, particularly girls, enabling them to focus on education and other age-appropriate activities.

True empowerment goes beyond protecting girls from harm. It means recognizing them as individuals with rights, capabilities and the power to influence decisions affecting their lives. Families, schools, communities, civil society organisations and government institutions must work together to create safe spaces, prevent child marriage, promote life skills and expand access to education, healthcare and livelihood opportunities.

On the International Day of the Girl Child, let us move beyond symbolic celebrations and translate our commitment into meaningful action. Every girl deserves the opportunity to learn, lead, thrive and shape her own future without being held back by poverty, discrimination or harmful social practices.

Empowering girls today is an investment in a more equal, inclusive and sustainable tomorrow.

World Environmental Health Day 2026: Standing with Science to Protect Communities

 

Observed every year on 26 September, World Environmental Health Day highlights the vital connection between the environment and human health. The 2026 theme, “Environmental Health: Standing with Science to Protect Communities,” calls for evidence-based action to address environmental risks and safeguard public well-being.

Environmental health encompasses the conditions in which people live, work and grow—including clean air, safe water, sanitation, food safety, healthy housing, waste management and protection from harmful pollutants. A healthy environment is essential for preventing disease, promoting well-being and enabling communities to live with dignity. Climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, unsafe waste disposal and environmental degradation can affect health directly and indirectly, while often placing a greater burden on vulnerable and underserved communities.

Today, environmental health challenges are becoming increasingly interconnected. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, air and water pollution, plastic waste, inadequate sanitation and changing patterns of resource use can affect communities in multiple ways. These challenges can influence not only physical health but also livelihoods, food and water security, productivity and overall quality of life. Addressing them requires preventive action, stronger local systems and greater awareness among communities.

Niyatee Foundation recognises that environmental health is closely linked with community well-being, sustainable livelihoods and resilience. Through its grassroots initiatives, the Foundation promotes practical, community-based solutions in sustainable waste management, WASH, environmental awareness, plantation, climate resilience and responsible use of natural resources. Its waste-management initiatives encourage source segregation, recycling, composting, reduction of plastic use and adoption of environmentally friendly alternatives, while working with urban local bodies, SHGs, waste workers and community groups to strengthen local ownership.

The Foundation also promotes environmental stewardship through plantation and awareness activities. In one initiative with an urban local body, 5,356 saplings were planted across nine wards over two years, while plantation drives involving more than 12,000 saplings have also been undertaken across rural and urban locations, particularly in and around crèche centres across 13 blocks. These efforts contribute to greener surroundings while encouraging children, caregivers and communities to recognise the importance of trees, biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.

Niyatee Foundation further integrates disaster resilience and climate awareness into community development through the development and strengthening of village-level disaster management plans across 16 districts. By facilitating the formation of Village Disaster Management Committees, strengthening local preparedness, raising awareness and engaging community volunteers, the Foundation supports communities in understanding, mitigating and responding to environmental and climate-related risks. This approach recognises that environmental health is an integral part of sustainable development, disaster preparedness and community resilience.Science has an important role in this effort. Reliable information, community-level observations, data and evidence-based solutions can help identify environmental risks, understand their potential health impacts and guide appropriate interventions. However, scientific knowledge becomes most effective when it is translated into practical action and combined with local knowledge, community participation and institutional collaboration.

Protecting environmental health is therefore not only the responsibility of governments and technical experts. Communities, institutions, businesses, civil society organisations and individuals all have a role in making healthier and more sustainable choices. Simple actions such as reducing waste, segregating waste at source, conserving water, maintaining hygienic surroundings, protecting green spaces, reducing plastic consumption and preparing for climate-related risks can collectively contribute to healthier communities.

World Environmental Health Day provides an opportunity to strengthen awareness, responsibility and collective action. It reminds us that prevention is often the most effective way to address environmental health risks and that lasting change requires participation at every level.

Healthy Environment, Healthier Lives. Let us work together to protect our Mother Planet, promote healthier communities and preserve our natural resources for future generations. Every responsible choice, every tree protected, every piece of waste properly managed and every community engaged in environmental action contributes to a healthier and more sustainable world.

On this World Environmental Health Day, let us stand with science, strengthen community action and turn evidence into practical solutions. Together, we can create cleaner environments, healthier communities and a more sustainable and resilient future for all.

Healthy people need healthy environments—and protecting one means protecting the other.

Mayra’s Safe Second Home: A Journey of Care, Growth and Joy

 

Mayra’s Safe Second Home: A Journey of Care, Growth and Joy

Every morning, while most children are busy playing, little Mayra’s parents had a different question on their minds—“Who will look after our little girl while we are at work?”

At just 2.4 years old, Mayra was too young to understand the worries of her parents. Her mother, Asima Toppo, works as a domestic worker, while her father, Rajen Kerketta, earns a living by driving an auto. Their work keeps them away from home for long hours. Like many working families, they had to make a difficult choice every day—earning for the family while ensuring that Mayra was safe, well-fed and cared for.

That worry began to fade when Mayra joined the Ama Kalika Crèche in Rourkela, run by Niyatee Foundation with the support of OMBADC, Sundargarh.

For Mayra, the crèche soon became much more than a place to spend the day. It became her safe second home. She receives freshly prepared, nutritious meals, personal care and a clean and child-friendly space. Through songs, stories, games and simple learning activities, she gets opportunities to play, learn and grow with other children.

The change is also visible at home. Mayra is now a cheerful and active child who enjoys being around her caregivers and friends. More importantly, her parents can go to work with greater peace of mind, knowing that their daughter is safe and receiving proper care throughout the day.

For Asima and Rajen, the crèche has brought something they value deeply—the freedom to work without the constant fear of leaving their young daughter alone.

“The crèche has given our daughter a safe second home, proper food and loving care. We can now work with confidence, knowing Mayra is safe and her future is brighter”, says Asima Toppo, Mayra’s mother.  

Mayra’s story shows that meaningful change does not always begin with something big. Sometimes, it begins with a safe place, a caring hand, a healthy meal and the chance for a child to simply be a child.

 

 

A Dream Worth Pursuing: Niranjan’s Journey Towards a Government Job

For Niranjan Bhoi, a government job is more than a career. It represents independence, dignity and the hope of building a secure future for himself and his family. His journey towards this dream, however, has not been easy.

Niranjan comes from a family with limited resources. As a person with visual impairment, he faced several difficulties while preparing for government job examinations. Finding suitable study materials, getting coaching that understood his needs and knowing about the support available for persons with disabilities were some of the challenges he had to face.

A new opportunity came when Niranjan joined the Government Job Pre-Recruitment Coaching Programme for visually impaired youth, jointly implemented by Niyatee Foundation and the Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD), Government of Odisha, at the NCSCDA campus in Bhubaneswar.

The programme gave Niranjan regular coaching in General Awareness, Reasoning, Mathematics, English, Odia and Computer Basics. Audio-based study materials and screen-reader-supported digital resources made it easier for him to access lessons and continue his preparation.

But learning did not stop with textbooks and classroom sessions. Niranjan also learned how to use computers, type, send emails, fill out online forms and search for government job opportunities. He received guidance on preparing for interviews and mock interviews, as well as understanding scribe support, extra time in examinations and reservation benefits available to persons with disabilities.

For Niranjan, each new skill has added a little more confidence to his journey. He now has better access to learning, clearer information about opportunities and stronger preparation for the examinations ahead.

Niranjan’s story is a reminder that talent and determination can be found everywhere. What can make the difference is an opportunity, the right guidance and someone willing to walk alongside a person as they pursue their dream.

 

From Worry to Hope: How a Creche Changed Nirupama’s Story

 

From Worry to Hope: How a Creche Changed Nirupama’s Story

 

Every working mother knows the challenge of balancing work and family, but for Asha Tigga, the question was even more difficult: who would care for her infant daughter while she was away serving the community? Asha works as a Home Guard in the Police Department and, with no other family members available to look after her daughter during working hours, managing her professional responsibilities alongside childcare had become a constant challenge.

 

For Asha and her family, the Pradhanpalli-2 Creche became a source of hope and reassurance. Nirupama Kishan, born on 20 March 2025 to Asha Tigga and Basanta Kishan, is a resident of Pradhanpalli. For the past six months, Asha has regularly brought Nirupama to the creche before leaving for duty. Knowing that her daughter is safe, cared for and surrounded by a nurturing environment has given Asha the peace of mind she needs to carry out her responsibilities with confidence.

 

At the creche, Nirupama is receiving much more than care. Her days are filled with play-based learning, storytelling, rhymes, early learning activities and opportunities to interact with other children. She also receives nutritious food, affection and attentive care from the creche workers. With regular attendance, Nirupama has gradually become more active, cheerful and confident. Her daily experiences at the creche are helping her develop age-appropriate communication, social and cognitive skills while encouraging her natural curiosity and love for learning.

 

For Asha, the transformation is equally meaningful. The creche has eased the burden of childcare and enabled her to continue her employment without compromising her daughter’s early development. She can now focus on her duties knowing that Nirupama is in a safe and supportive environment where her needs are being understood and cared for.

 

The Pradhanpalli-2 Creche, operated by Niyatee Foundation with the support of OMBADC, District Mineral Foundation (DMF) and District Social Welfare Office (DSWO), Sundargarh, demonstrates how quality community-based childcare can create meaningful change in the lives of both children and their families. Nirupama’s story is a reminder that when a child receives the right care, nutrition, stimulation and affection during the early years, the benefits extend far beyond the child. A safe creche gives parents the confidence to work, families the strength to move forward, and children the opportunity to begin their lives with confidence, dignity and hope.

With Mother	Outside the Creche
Learning Activity	Nutrition Time

Crèche Initiatives: Nurturing Children, Empowering Women, Building Communities

 

Crèche Initiatives: Nurturing Children, Empowering Women, Building Communities

The early years of a child's life lay the foundation for lifelong health, learning, and well-being. Yet, for many families in rural and tribal Odisha, access to safe childcare remains a significant challenge. Working mothers often struggle to balance livelihood responsibilities with childcare, while older siblings—especially girls—are forced to stay home to care for younger children, affecting their education and future opportunities. Recognising these challenges, Niyatee Foundation has been implementing community-based Crèche programmes that strengthen families by nurturing children and empowering women.

Supported by the District Mineral Foundations (DMFs) and OMBADC, the Foundation currently operates 562 community-based crèches across 10 blocks and three municipal corporation zones in the tribal districts of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, and Sundargarh, including Rourkela Municipal Corporation. The programme provides integrated Early Childhood Care, Development and Education (ECCD & ECCE) services for children aged 6 months to 3 years, ensuring they receive quality childcare, nutritious meals, regular health monitoring, growth tracking, and age-appropriate early learning in a safe and stimulating environment.

The impact extends well beyond childcare. The programme has created meaningful employment opportunities for more than 1,124 women, who serve as crèche workers, caregivers, supervisors, and community support staff. Through these roles, women gain stable livelihoods, financial independence, leadership skills, and greater participation in community development. Their contribution has transformed the crèches into trusted community institutions where care, learning, and social support come together.

Reliable childcare also enables working mothers to participate in agriculture, wage labour, and other income-generating activities without compromising the safety and well-being of their young children. At the same time, older siblings—particularly adolescent girls—are relieved of childcare responsibilities, allowing them to remain in school and continue their education. In this way, the programme addresses multiple social challenges simultaneously by promoting child development, women's economic empowerment, girls' education, and stronger family resilience.

Today, the Foundation's crèche initiatives are reaching more than 11,240 children, providing them with a healthy start in life and preparing them for successful transition to preschool education. Through play-based learning, nutrition, healthcare, and responsive caregiving, children develop the cognitive, physical, emotional, and social skills that are essential for lifelong learning and development.

Over the years, Niyatee Foundation's community-based approach has demonstrated that quality childcare is not merely a welfare service but a strategic investment in human development. By combining early childhood care with women's employment and community participation, the programme contributes to healthier children, empowered women, stronger families, and more resilient communities.

At Niyatee Foundation, we believe that investing in children and empowering women are among the most effective ways to build an equitable and prosperous society. With 562 crèches, over 1,124 women employed, and more than 11,240 children reached, the Foundation continues to create opportunities where every child receives a nurturing start, every woman is empowered to realise her potential, and every community moves towards a stronger and more inclusive future.

Strong Women. Happy Children. Stronger Tomorrow.